按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
vials； but were placed in ordinary black bottles。 There is nothing
more melancholy than to behold science or art in distress。 A
threadbare scholar； a tattered book； or a battered violin is a mute
appeal to our sympathy。
I approached the wretched pallet bed on which the victim of
chemistry was lying。 He breathed heavily； and had his head turned
toward the wall。 I lifted his arm gently to arouse his attention。
〃How goes it； my poor friend？〃 I asked him。 〃Where are you hurt？〃
In a moment； as if startled by the sound of my voice； he sprang up
in his bed； and cowered against the wall like a wild animal driven
to bay。 〃Who are you？ I don't know you。 Who brought you here？
You are a stranger。 How dare you come into my private rooms to spy
upon me？〃
And as he uttered this rapidly with a frightful nervous energy； I
beheld a pale distorted face； draped with long gray hair； glaring
at me with a mingled expression of fury and terror。
〃I am no spy；〃 I answered mildly。 〃I heard that you had met with
an accident； and have come to cure you。 I am Dr。 Luxor； and here
is my card。〃
The old man took the card； and scanned it eagerly。 〃You are a
physician？〃 he inquired distrustfully。
〃And surgeon also。〃
〃You are bound by oath not to reveal the secrets of your patients。〃
〃Undoubtedly。〃
〃I am afraid that I am hurt；〃 he continued faintly； half sinking
back in the bed。
I seized the opportunity to make a brief examination of his body。
I found that the arms； a part of the chest； and a part of the face
were terribly scorched； but it seemed to me that there was nothing
to be apprehended but pain。
〃You will not reveal anything that you may learn here？〃 said the
old man； feebly fixing his eyes on my face while I was applying a
soothing ointment to the burns。 〃You will promise me。〃
I nodded assent。
〃Then I will trust you。 Cure meI will pay you well。〃
I could scarce help smiling。 If Lorenzo de' Medici； conscious of
millions of ducats in his coffers； had been addressing some leech
of the period； he could not have spoken with a loftier air than
this inhabitant of the fourth story of a tenement house in the
Seventh Avenue。
〃You must keep quiet；〃 I answered。 〃Let nothing irritate you。 I
will leave a composing draught with your daughter； which she will
give you immediately。 I will see you in the morning。 You will be
well in a week。〃
〃Thank God！〃 came in a murmur from a dusk corner near the door。 I
turned； and beheld the dim outline of the girl； standing with
clasped hands in the gloom of the dim chamber。
〃My daughter！〃 screamed the old man； once more leaping up in the
bed with renewed vitality。 〃You have seen her； then？ When？
Where？ Oh； may a thousand cur〃
〃Father！ father！ Anythinganything but that。 Don't； don't curse
me！〃 And the poor girl； rushing in； flung herself sobbing on her
knees beside his pallet。
〃Ah； brigand！ You are there； are you？ Sir；〃 said he； turning to
me； 〃I am the most unhappy man in the world。 Talk of Sisyphus
rolling the ever…recoiling stoneof Prometheus gnawed by the
vulture since the birth of time。 The fables yet live。 There is my
rock； forever crushing me back！ there is my eternal vulture；
feeding upon my heart！ There！ there！ there！〃 And； with an awful
gesture of malediction and hatred； he pointed with his wounded
hand； swathed and shapeless with bandages； at the cowering；
sobbing； wordless woman by his side。
I was too much horror…stricken to attempt even to soothe him。 The
anger of blood against blood has an electric power which paralyzes
bystanders。
〃Listen to me； sir；〃 he continued； 〃while I skin this painted
viper。 I have your oath； you will not reveal。 I am an alchemist；
sir。 Since I was twenty…two years old； I have pursued the
wonderful and subtle secret。 Yes； to unfold the mysterious Rose
guarded with such terrible thorns； to decipher the wondrous Table
of Emerald； to accomplish the mystic nuptials of the Red King and
the White Queen； to marry them soul to soul and body to body；
forever and ever； in the exact proportions of land and watersuch
has been my sublime aim； such has been the splendid feat that I
have accomplished。〃
I recognized at a glance； in this incomprehensible farrago； the
argot of the true alchemist。 Ripley； Flamel； and others have
supplied the world； in their works； with the melancholy spectacle
of a scientific bedlam。
〃Two years since；〃 continued the poor man； growing more and more
excited with every word that he uttered〃two years since； I
succeeded in solving the great problemin transmuting the baser
metals into gold。 None but myself； that girl； and God knows the
privations I had suffered up to that time。 Food； clothing； air；
exercise； everything but shelter； was sacrificed toward the one
great end。 Success at last crowned my labors。 That which Nicholas
Flamel did in 1382； that which George Ripley did at Rhodes in 1460；
that which Alexander Sethon and Michael Scudivogius did in the
seventeenth century； I did in 1856。 I made gold！ I said to
myself； 'I will astonish New York more than Flamel did Paris。' He
was a poor copyist； and suddenly launched into magnificence。 I had
scarce a rag to my back： I would rival the Medicis。 I made gold
every day。 I toiled night and morning； for I must tell you that I
never was able to make more than a certain quantity at a time； and
that by a process almost entirely dissimilar to those hinted at in
those books of alchemy I had hitherto consulted。 But I had no
doubt that facility would come with experience； and that ere long I
should be able to eclipse in wealth the richest sovereigns of the
earth。
〃So I toiled on。 Day after day I gave to this girl here what gold
I succeeded in fabricating； telling her to store it away after
supplying our necessities。 I was astonished to perceive that we
lived as poorly as ever。 I reflected； however； that it was perhaps
a commendable piece of prudence on the part of my daughter。
Doubtless； I said； she argues that the less we spend the sooner we
shall accumulate a capital wherewith to live at ease； so； thinking
her course a wise one； I did not reproach her with her
niggardliness； but toiled on； amid want； with closed lips。
〃The gold which I fabricated was； as I said before； of an
invariable size； namely； a little ingot worth perhaps thirty or
forty…five dollars。 In two years I calculated that I had made five
hundred of these ingots； which； rated at an average of thirty
dollars apiece； would amount to the gross sum of fifteen thousand
dollars。 After deducting our slight expenses for two years； we
ought to have had nearly fourteen thousand dollars left。 It was
time； I thought； to indemnify myself for my years of suffering； and
surround my child and myself with such moderate comforts as our
means allowed。 I went to my daughter and explained to her that I
desir